Tricycle Music Fest West: Tunes for tots

Tricycle Music Fest West: Turning the quiet of libraries into 'kindie' rock concerts for the youngest generation

Published 4:00 am, Thursday, October 14, 2010

Photo: Courtesy SFPL

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Frances England

Frances England

Photo: Courtesy SFPL

Tricycle Music Fest West: Tunes for tots

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Libraries are places where quiet reigns supreme. But the next two weekends, the tradition of silence will be suspended for a while - at least at (or just outside of) three public libraries in San Francisco.

The occasion: the second annual Tricycle Music Fest West, a series of free, "kindie" rock concerts for the toddler, preschool and early-elementary set. Yes, "kindie," as in "indie," only for kids.

The festival began last week, and the party continues with two performances by singer-songwriter Frances England this weekend. Next weekend, the festival concludes with a concert on the Larkin Street steps of the Main Library.

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Four kid-friendly artists will participate in this final show, presented in partnership with San Francisco Sunday Streets - England, the Time Outs, Pip Squeak a Go Go and the Sippy Cups.

Christy Estrovitz, early-literacy specialist for the San Francisco Public Library, says exposure to music helps children develop "phonological awareness." This phrase relates to the process of decoding sounds; research shows that if kids hear similar sounds in various contexts, it's easier to replicate them overall.

"Music is a child's first language," she said. "Think about it: Most kids dance before they walk and talk."

The idea for Tricycle Music Fest West came from North Carolina, where librarians launched the original Tricycle Music Fest in 2007.

Looking forward, event organizers are preparing themselves for a record-setting turnout. Last year, more than 1,000 families attended; Estrovitz predicted that this year will attract more than that.

On the agenda for this year: a street fair to coincide with the Oct. 24 concert during which kids (and their families, of course) will be encouraged to bring bikes of all types.

For those who do attend, pay close attention to England's song about tricycles. The song is about how much one little boy loves his three-wheeler. Though it's not the festival's official song, it could be.